Masked Mary
by smokysnow
Summary: A child from Rorschach's past has resurfaced as the knew Watchmen. Will she remember him? I know, bad summary. Rated for later chapters. Now with Chapter 3! YAY!
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: Yea, so I've never written a fic before, just so you know. This is a Watchmen, mostly Rorschach, fic. I've read the book, and seen the movie (wasn't bad). It's been a while since I've read the book, so I've smudged the dates and ages a little. The main character's history will be revealed throughout the story, if I continue. If I get a lot of negative feed back I might just squish it. Now on with the show!**

_Disclaimer:_ The watchmen belong to Moore, not me. Only Susie is my character. And I'm not making any money from either of them.

Oh FYI, Susie lives with Dan/ Night Owl, he's like a surrogate dad. And this starts before the comic, she doesn't know he a watchmen.

"Mac'n Cheese with hot dogs, my favorite." Susie said, grinning like a child. She was close to eighteen but was very easy to amuse and small things like what was for diner easily made her day. Dan chuckled at her amusement.

They made small talk over diner, and finished at the same time. They got up from the table and she gave Dan a hug. "We haven't had that in a while, thanks." Then she went to wash dishes.

"I'm just glad the little things still make you happy." He said with a chuckle. She reached down into the water to get the rag and grabbed the knife instead, cutting her finger. She quickly grabbed her finger and ran upstairs to her bathroom, saying "Be right back." Dan just sighed and took over the dishes, careful not to grab the knife.

_BUNK, BUNK_

The noise startled Dan. 'Who could that be at this hour?' He thought to himself, going to the door. He opened the door and found Rorschach standing there. The wind outside blowing fiercely behind him.

Dan half stepped out to whisper to him, "Dang it, Rorschach! You know you're not supposed to come through the front door. What's going on?" All the Watchmen knew of Night Owls predicament and kept themselves hidden by only using the basement access. Dan kept the basement door locked and Susie never tried to go down there.

"Need stitches. Front door was closer." The rough voice said through the placid mask. Dan sighed and opened the door for him. "Quick," he said, "to the basement." Rorschach led the way and Dan only glanced at the stairs before shutting the door and fallowing Rorschach to the basement.

Upstairs Susie had no idea of what had transpired. She nursed her finger for a while before deciding it didn't need a bandage. She was leaving her bathroom when she heard a loud slamming noise. She hurried to her bedroom and grabbed her baseball bat before running downstairs.

When she reached the last step she surveyed the room. The front door was wide open. Dan hadn't closed it all the way when letting Rorschach in, the wind had blown it open. Susie didn't know this. Looking around she saw no one. She shut the door as quickly and as quietly as possible and went to look for Dan. In the kitchen she noted the dishes still in the sink. She was about to go to the next room when she noticed the door to the basement was slightly open. She went to investigate. Slowly she opened the door and stepped in.

She heard someone coming up the steps and decided it was the person who opened the front door, and she wanted to catch them. She stood at the top of the steps and waited, with her feet shoulder-width apart and the bat between her feet like a cane. She saw the coated, hated figure coming up the steps, head down. 'If he's done anything to Dan he will pay,' was all she kept thinking.

Three steps from the top Rorschach realized there was a figure there and stopped, looking up at her. He knew who she was, and that he wasn't supposed to hurt her. What a predicament. Not the _wanted_ to hurt her, but if circumstances went bad he wouldn't feel bad about it.

When she saw who he was she was shocked. "You're Ror,-Ror, that guy!" She had a hard time pronouncing certain words, his name was no exception.

"Rorschach." he said impatiently, his mask moved to match his tone.

"You're only supposed to go after criminals." she said, getting angry at the injustice. "Dan aint no criminal, and he don't know nothing 'bout no criminals!" She started to raise her bat "If you hurt him..."

"What? You'll hurt me?" He was more than willing to show her how little use a bat really was against him. He maintained his composure and waited for her to make a move. But she ignored him and yelled "Are you alright Dan?" around him. She hadn't noticed Dan halfway up the steps behind him, but she did notice a six-inch cut in the right shoulder of the hero's jacket.

"Of course I am." Dan said, mildly shocked to see Susie with her bat at the top of the stairs. "Rorschach just needed some stitches."

At that her demeanor did a complete one-eighty. She became the polite hostess. "Well that's completely different. Sir, would you like some diner? We've got plenty and it's still warm." She then turned and went into the kitchen. In the kitchen she turned to face them.

Rorschach was about to protest but she started in again. "And while you're eating I can patch that hole in you're jacket." She didn't do that for everyone, but she admired the Watchmen, and wanted to give them all the support she could.

"I wouldn't decline Rorschach; she's excellent with a needle."

Rorschach grumbled, "Alright."

Susie went upstairs to put her bat away and get her supplies. When she got back down stairs the coat was on the couch, and Dan was at the table with Rorschach. Rorschach was facing away from her, eating with his mask half off. She noticed the right sleeve of the hero was quite bloody. She was surprised to see that the jacket had very little blood on it at all. She searched through her brown threads; none of them matched the jacket. "Pardon me, sir." She said to the men at the table.

Dan looked up, Rorschach turned his head, just enough to see her out of the corner of his eye. She could barley see any of his face. "I don't have the right color thread, but I can twist two different colors together and get very close. No one should be able to tell."

" 'S'fine." was all he said, and went back to his food.

"Kay." She said with a smile to the back of his head, or to Dan, she wasn't sure. She went back to work. She was done exceptionally quick, and was tieing the end when she heard Dan tell Rorschach "She's very good. Her uncle owned a tailor shop."

When she heard that her mind wandered off. She remembered being a little girl running around the shop, watching everyone work. No, not everyone, just one, a young man with red hair. She remembered the fire.

She didn't realize her finger was that close to the needle. She pricked her finger. (The opposite hand she cut) She gasped and put her finger in her mouth. She used her other hand to cut the thread. Then she placed the coat on the couch and went upstairs to tend to her finger. Rorschach would be gone when she came back down.


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: **So, just to clarify for everyone, Dan is 27, Rorschach is 26, I'll make the Silk Spectra about 21, and this is about 2-3 yrs befor the Keene Act. The timeline might be a little out of whack, but lets just roll with it. **:**D

_Disclaimer:_ The watchmen belong to Moore, not me. Only Susie is my character. And I'm not making any money from either of them.

Susie came downstairs and found Dan on the couch, Rorschach was gone. "Hey." Dan said with a smile. "He said he didn't want to be rude, but he had work to do. And to tell you thanks."

"Yea, I figured he'd be gone." She sat on the opposite end of the couch, and looked at her hurt fingers. She crossed her legs and turned to look at him.

"Bats aren't really that much good unless you sneak up on somebody." He said turning to look at her. She laughed at that.

"It was never my intention to harm anyone with the bat." She smiled at her own cunning plan. Dan brought his brows together in a confused expression. This just made her smile broaden. "I was going to swing the bat," she made the motion, "Then, when they went to grab or dodge it I would let go, and kick them in the head!" She said that last bit with much amusement and started giggling. The giggle broke into full laughter and Dan questioned the girl's sanity. She was always happy and smiling, but she rarely laughed.

"What if that hadn't worked?" The words came out colder than he intended. She immediately stopped laughing and looked at him with a hurt expression before smiling.

"Of course it would work, Dan. No one expects it!" Her smile turned vicious and her eyes gleamed. Dan quickly changed the subject.

"Were you really going to try that on Rorschach?" Her expression softened and she stared down at the couch. She explained about the door, and how she thought he might have been hurt. Then Dan apologized for not shutting it all the way and told how he had come looking for stitches.

"That's not right, it doesn't add up. Unless…" She trailed off in thought. Dan held his breath, he knew this was inevitable. He was surprised that it had taken her this long.

"Unless … You're a back-ally surgeon!" She got excited at the idea, which threw Dan off. He hadn't expected that. "That's it." She said. "I could totally be you're apprentice! I'm already good at sewing and bandages, just think at how good I'll be at stitches."

"No, I'm not," he sighed "A back-ally surgeon." 'Could any one really be this naive?' He thought.

"Well," she said, all her steam gone. "You could secretly be his lover." Dan gasped wide eyed at the notion. He did_,_ after all, have dates, with _women_. She waved the idea away saying "No that still wouldn't explain why he came _here_." Then she put her head in her hands and sighed.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this anymore. Dan, I know you're the Nite Owl."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't patronize me. Do you really think I could have lived here all year and NOT figured it out?" Dan sighed, put elbows on his knees and looked down at the carpet.

"When did you realize it?" He didn't see the point in arguing any further. He'd known her since she was 13, and had never one an argument with her. She always made his words backfire on him. He couldn't win.

"Well," she began, "I've had my suspicions for a while now. But seeing Ror-- ink-blot tonight confirmed my suspicions." He tries to digest that and thought 'If Rorschach hadn't shown up tonight how long would it have takes her?' Then he thought of something.

"If you already new I was the Owl, why'd you pull the bat on Rorschach?"

"No, I said I've had my SUSPICIONS for a while. But I've already told you, the door slammed open, and I investigated." She shook her head, she hated repeating herself.

"But still," Dan pondered. "You had the bat raised like you wanted to hit him."

"Up until the point you walked up the stairs it could have gone either way. I knew you had a 'double life,' and I was positive you weren't a criminal." Her tone shifted, lowered. "But when I saw him and not you, I thought I might have been wrong. I thought he had _proved_ me wrong, and that made me angry. I've never been wrong before." She looked up at him, her eyes wide and hurt, like a kid whose allowance had just been stolen. "I wanted him to pay for it." She suddenly got happy again, "Then you walked up the stairs and everything was alright. I'm glad that's all out in the open, because there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh, what's that?" He wasn't quite done talking about the incident, but decided it wasn't important.

"I want you to teach me how to fight, how to be a hero. I want to help. You guys could use another girl, and I could carry a small bag of suckers to give to the little kids whose parents just got arrested, or whatever." She looked up at him with puppy-dog eyes.

"I don't know," He shook his head. "I don't think ..hum" He trailed off. He didn't really want her join, but he didn't know how to say it.

"Oh, come ON," she stood up "You KNOW I've got an awesome kick." She kicked the air, which made Dan flinch back and grab his ribs. The first night Susie had been at Dan's she had fallen asleep on the couch. When Dan tried to wake her up the next morning she fractured three of his ribs and still didn't wake up.

"You still have nightmares?" Dan asked, trying to change the subject.

"Every night." She sat back down on the couch. "And I've already got my name picked out. I'll be Masked Mary!" Dan gave a heavy sigh and rubbed his eyes. "I'll talk to them about it, but I'm not making any promises."

"YES," she gave Dan a hug "Have I ever told you you're freak'n awesome?"

"Not nearly often enough." He laughed. She got up and started walking toward the stairs. "Night Dan."

"Night."

When Susie went to bed that night she had more nightmares.

_It was a warm day near the end of spring. A crowed had gathered 'round to watch the fire fighters try and battle the flames. A young girl stood with her grandparents and a dozen of their employees as the flames engulfed their shop, and the apartment upstairs where the girl lived with her grandparents. Suddenly the girl lunges forward crying "My dress!" She is grabbed by a strong pair of arms. She looks up in anger "No! Let me go Walter! I need to get my dress!" Walter shakes his head. "It's too late. I'm sorry Susie." She tries to wrestle free before turning and punching him repeatedly, as if it will make everything better. All he can do is apologies for something he has no control over._

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So I know there wasn't any Rorschach in this chapter, but once in the next chapters we'll see a bunch more of him, and more of Susie's past. Hope ya'll liked it! Oh yea, this was kind of long, I'll try to make the next one shorter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope y'all enjoy!**

** _Disclaimer:_ The watchmen belong to Moore, not me. Only Susie is my character. And I'm not making any money from either of them.**

_Rorschach's Journal: _

_Beat up couple of drug dealers. One slashed my arm. Went to Dan for stitches, had to use front door. Went to leave the same way I came, met Susie. Taller than I expected, broader shoulders. Seems almost bipolar. She sewed my jacket. I ate, left. Saved a girl from a rapist. _

_Rorschach's Journal:_

_Watchmen's meeting today. Dan said Susie wants to be a Watchman. He didn't like the idea. None of us did, except Laurie. All agree she's too inexperience. Manhattan said she would join us. Said she'd be a good addition. She joins officially next week, when she turns eighteen. We're supposed to train her. This isn't good. Bad things happen on her birthday. _

It was the week of Susie's birthday. She tried not to let it show, but she was nervous. Not of joining the Watchmen, she hadn't been informed yet, but for Dan. Throughout Susie's life the people close to her tended to die on her birthday. At least, the ones she celebrated. She had even made a strict effort not to make friends, or even acquaintances. Only letting in those she needed. Like Dan. She was sure the more friends she had the more likely it would be that one of them would try and surprise her with a party or gift. Which wouldn't end well.

Seven days left: Nothing happened.

Six days left: Still alright.

Five…..

Four ….

Three …

Two..

One.

Susie's birthday was finally here. Her nightmares from the previous night had lessened somehow. Typical. They would come back ten fold tonight.

Dan had wanted to buy Susie a cake, but she said she didn't want one. When Dan said he had to leave for a bit, she wanted to protest, but she didn't. She was sure he would be alright if she refused to even acknowledge that today was her birthday and just treated it like another day. When she had lived with her aunt and uncle she simply locked herself in her room for the three days on either side of her birthday and refused any sort of gift. Only the first year did they try to buy her any presents. She never opened them. Dan had asked her to tag along. She declined. She didn't want anything to happen that day, good or bad. When she went to bed that night her nightmares were expectedly worse. It was like someone took every bad dream she ever had and rolled them into one.

_Susie was standing in a field, surrounded by her family. The faces of those she couldn't remember well were blurred. She saw herself as a child next to her. In the hands of her child-self she held a match and bottle of lighter fluid. The grass of the field turned into coals. She watched as she doused everyone with the fluid and lit the match. They just stood there and burned, not even trying to put the flames out. The flames spread, engulfing everything but her._

The next morning she woke up early, sweating like she had actually been standing in the center of the fire that consumed the world around her. Her dream swam in her head while she got ready for the day. She was glad yesterday was over.

Dan told her that he wanted to introduce her to all the Watchmen. She was skeptical.

"Why?" She asked. He sighed and tried to think on his feet.

"I wanted them to meet you. They're getting pretty skeptical that you exist. They think I just live like a pig and don't want any one to know."

She believed him. She was a clever girl, but very gullible. Mostly because people just didn't lie to her. Mostly. She led the way down the stairs and Dan locked the door behind them. The basement lights were already on when Susie reached the bottom step. She stopped and stared at Archie, the Nite Owl's aircraft.

"Have a look around while I get into uniform, just don't push any buttons." Dan said, going into his little changing room. She wandered around for a while and ended up in the craft. She saw the button with a flame on it. She was staring at it when Dan walked up.

"Flame thrower?" She asked.

"Yes. You can push it later."

"Thanks."

The ride was silent for a while. Suddenly she realized something. "Why couldn't you just get Ink Blot to tell everyone I exists?" It took him a minute to realize that she meant Rorschach when she said ink blot.

"Well. Actually," he paused. "I wanted it to be a surprise but, we'd like you to join us."

The rest of the ride was full of excited chatter from Susie. When they arrived she saw everyone on the roof and became nervous. Laurie was the first to greet them, and made the introductions. Ozymandias led them to a room where they exchanged pleasantries for a while before getting into the meeting. They explained how the rotations went, along with most of the basics. Rorschach was the only one who didn't say anything. When the meeting was wrapping up Susie asked "When do I get my mask?"

"Oh, I almost forgot." Vedit said, turning to Manhattan "If you would, Jon."

"Of course. Susie, would you come with me?" She was little intimidated, but followed Jon into another room.

In the room there was a table with a mask laying on it. Susie walked right up to it and examined it. It was black with dark blue lines that looked like veins going across it. The blue shimmered as she turned it. It was the sort of mask that covered all of her face except her nose and mouth. She loved it.

"Would you put it on so I can shape it to your face?" Jon asked.

"Sure." She looked at the mask and found no string, or adhesive. "How does it work?"

Jon smiled and picked up a shiny metal cylinder, about the size of Susie's pinky. "It's magnetic. You put this in your hair and turn it like this." He demonstrated it for her. "The mask won't come off unless you turn this the other way." She caught on immediately. She put the mask on. It didn't fit her face right. "This will only take a moment." Jon said, raising his hand in front of her face. The feeling was strange as the mask contorted to fit her face. Once done she and Jon went back to the other room. No one but Laurie had seen the mask yet. They all were a little surprised by it. Then they a dispersed for the day, and Susie went home with Dan to get ready for her first watch. Tonight she would be with Laurie. The way her rotation went she had Ozymandias next, and then Comedian, then Dan, then Jon, and finally Rorschach before it was her night off.

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Ok. I know there was no Rorschach, but I've hit a major writer's block. I've got ideas for later, I just don't know how to get to them. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


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